After currency is distributed in the public sector, it will typically find its way back into the banking institutions. This is facilitated through individuals depositing currency documents in their local banking institutions, and businesses forwarding their cash receipts to the banking institutions. Once the banking institutions have received the currency in the form of the notes, these notes must then be processed. Although the processing can be facilitated by hand, this is somewhat tedious. To facilitate the large number of notes that must be sorted, counted and then re-bundled or "strapped" for distribution back to the banks, large high speed currency sorting machines have been developed.
Currency sorting machines typically have a feeder slot into which stacks of currency in different denominations and even different sizes can be placed. The currency sorter will then individually strip the notes or documents from the feeder slot, pass them through various sensing stations to determine the denomination of the note and even the quality or integrity of the note. Once this is done, then the sorting machine will deposit the note in a collection slot associated with the proper denomination. Typically, a separate collection slot is provided for notes that are defective due to, for example, a tear or excessive wear. These sorting machines can sort notes at rates up to 2,000 notes per minute.
The disadvantage to present sorting systems is the manner in which the notes must be transported between stations. Typically, there are three stations, the first being the initial hand sorting or collection operation at the original banking institution, the second being the feeder operation to the sorter and the third being the collection operation at the sorter. Due to the high speed nature of the sorter, the sorter typically outstrips the speed at which the documents can be placed into the sorter and then removed from the sorter. Therefore, there exists a need for a system that will facilitate an increase in the throughput.